Friendship And Brotherhood
by Thalia Kendall
Summary: A young man looks back on a relationship that didn't quite work... and, because of a peculiar love that he retained for her, is able to feel happy for her. Ron's perspective on a Percy/Hermione relationship. One-shot *done*


Here's another Percy/Hermione one-shot from me! w00t! This is based on the speculation... what would Ron think?!  
  
Disclaimers apply. Not mine!   
  
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Friendship and Brotherhood   
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I probably should have seen it coming, I guess. After all, she WAS the only one I knew who never, ever laughed when Gred and Forge turned him into a hamster that time...no, our Miss Prefect stood up indignantly and told the twins to act more mature.   
  
At the time, she was my girlfriend. Well, by name, in any case. Sure, we walked hand-in-hand in Hogsmeade, and were each other's first kiss and whatnot. But...her idea of fun was spending a day curled up in front of the fire reading some 'fascinating' old book, and mine was cleaning Honeydukes out of their newest special effect sweets. Sure, we had loads to talk about. We WERE friends after all, but it was more unnatural. When we'd been friends and nothing more, I thought of her nagging me to not make up my Divination homework amusing and endearing. But when we were a couple, I took it personally. And that would never be a good thing. Blimey, the arguments! How we used to irritate Harry when that happened, and it happened quite often.   
  
She looks so beautiful when she's with him. Carefree, radiant. Who knew that anyone COULD look so light-hearted around him without getting a million points taken off by his Royal Prefectness for frivolity? Actually, who knew that SHE could look so light-hearted, for that matter? Surprising how it works out sometimes, the most serious people turning out to be giddy as house-elves on butterbeer.   
  
I remember when we decided that it wouldn't work any more between the two of us. She had cried a little (girls always do that when something happens...barking mad, the lot of them!) but after a few days, it seemed that the air around us was clearer, less clouded with complications. We went back to being friends without skipping a beat. It was better this way.   
  
He's actually lying outside on the grass, under the big old tree that all of us boys, even him (but when no one was looking, of course!) used to climb and skin our knees on as children, his head in her lap. She's actually sticking dandelions in his hair. And smiling ear to ear. I feel a slight pang, but so quick that it barely registers...she never looked like that with me.   
  
Had anyone told me two years ago that my best friend and my older brother would end up lying outside the Burrow, supposedly reading (although that book is lying forgotten by her side), engaged to be married, I would have laughed in their faces. My then-girlfriend, and my prissy, priggish brother, Percy the Prefect? I'd sooner have expected Snape to adopt Harry and shower him with affection. Actually, let me go and clear my head of THAT image. The greasy git showering ANYONE with affection...that poor bugger...   
  
I admit...after Hermione and I broke up, and she started looking at him THAT way when she thought that nobody was watching...I was a bit jealous and shocked. HIM?! Out of all my brothers...she just HAD to pick the pompous one. But now, he looks anything BUT pompous as he gets up, dandelions and all, and kisses her. She melts into his arms, and I turn away. It's their love, and I will not intrude.   
  
Hermione is happy, I can tell. And as for Percy, well, he's been so uplifted lately that he's not mentioned anything relating to cauldron bottoms, wand cores, or illegal flying carpets in...well, a very long time. And Hermione is my best friend, and he, maddeningly Perfect-Prefecty though he might be at times, is my brother and a part of this large, loving, indestructible Weasley clan that I belong to.   
  
Friendship and brotherhood. Great things, really. And besides, she promised to save me a dance at their wedding. Best friend's honor.   
  
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End file.
